Helpful Tips for Running in the Rain

Most runners, including me, might not intend to cancel the race only because of rain. Little did you know, the chance for running in the rain may help us much in building the mental toughness? So, you may prepare yourself more mentally if it is rainy on your race day. Let’s try our below useful tips to prepare well for such special exercise:

10 Helpful Tips for Running in the Rain

1. Change the Usual Run

As a matter of fact, the weather usually reduces the speed of runners. That means you should jump on a treadmill to reach a higher speed workout, instead of running in the rain. Frankly, the rain adds about two minutes to your own time for each mile running. Besides, doing this on the slippery road may easily put all runners at the injury risk. Because landing on and pushing off that surface creates high demands on our connective tissues and muscles. Instead, you can try to use the run on the endurance training as well as embrace the special resistance provided by the rain.

2. Choose Smart Layers to wear

For any runner prefer shorts for the race, our advice is to add other compression clothes on underneath. They will prevent chafing symptom for you. In addition, do not forget to bring along the wind shell which was made of the waterproof material, such as nylon. It is the essential top layer so the rain cannot make you cold at all. In the case the shell does not keep a runner completely dry, it can push up his core temperature and decrease the hypothermia risk.

Some people have the habits of wearing a baseball hat or visor to prevent the rain drops from getting in their eyes. In fact, if your hat has a brim, it definitely assists you much to prevent the rain from soaking wet in your face, especially for a downpour. However, try not to overdress when heading for a run on a rainy day. In the case of having several layers on, your clothes will be easily wet and of course, become heavy. For this reason, you should dress based on the temperature.

3. Check your Shoes carefully

You should exam the bottom of your shoes before the journey begins. Normally, you may not able to avoid slipping if the shoe has the smooth bottom. So, your kicks need be equipped grooves on the soles which are deeper at least one millimeter. By this way, these channels usually allow the water to flow and help your shoes have a grip on the street. If the runners want to keep their feet warmer and drier, they need the shoes made of waterproof fabric, such as Gore-Tex.

One more tip to remove the mesh on the shoes is to wear thin socks which do not absorb much water and keep your feet stay soggy. For all professional and amateur race, please remember to keep your socks and shoes in a bag made of plastic right at the beginning. People typically check their old shoes and socks in their own check bag of gears. Then, put on the race socks and shoes. If it stops raining, you can run your wonderful race in the dry socks, ﻿insoles and shoes.

4. Protect and seal your own Electronics

This is a simple step with storing electronics like iPod and cell phone in one waterproof carrier or Ziplock bag. Besides, workout gear which owns inside pockets will take effect to protect your devices from getting wet. You may require one waterproof case with a bit higher price as those pockets are sometimes unable to keep your electronic device completely dry. The last suggestion with cheap price is to seal your iPod and cell phone in one closeable bag made of plastic.

5. Watch out and be careful

Every runner needs paying attention, yet extra care should be maintained when running the rain due to the slippery path or road. The key here is taking small enough steps and truly mind of your footing. The example is quite similar to the way you run on the trails with lots of rocks, branches, or roots tripped over. In addition, do not step in the puddles so that you will not get soaked easily and be injured.

6. Do not use any Neon Gear

Handy wild neon tights will definitely show their helpfulness for one drizzly day, but their usage is not recommended while raining. In a rainy day, it gets more difficult and darker for all drivers to realize and see you. The more important factor is that the vehicles cannot stop quickly on the slick roads.

Actually, wearing neon green, yellow, orange, or pink during the day is considered more visible than any gear which has reflective patches. The light-colored or bright outer layers with the reflective strips also reduce your poor visibility as well as assist you in staying safe while running on a rainy day.

7. Prevent Chafing

We have to affirm that chafing may happen during all the race. Especially, the rain can make it be worse. For people who prefer running long, our advice is to spread the Vaseline or Body Glide on the body parts where you normally get blisters or chafe like the feet, underarms, inner thighs, nipples, etc. If the race does not start immediately and you are forced to wait during a rainy day, a big bag with a neck cut-out hole and armholes may keep you be dry. Once you start moving, you can easily take off as well as throw it.

8. Avoid running During Thunderstorms

If you can see lightning, please be cautious and stay inside. That does not mean you have to cancel the run at all, let’s hit pause and run indoors. In most of the cases, running in the rain can be perfectly safe. But you may feel dangerous if thunderstorms appear in the sky. Frankly, finishing your run a bit earlier is worth to avoid getting struck and wounded by lightning.

When the weather is rainy and windy, our body may cool down quickly. You are suggested to continue running if the gusts of the wind are less than 42 miles per hour. Otherwise, running and moving against the wind resistance cannot be challenging and fun anymore. The foremost thing for you is to keep yourself be always safe.

9. Take a breath and Run

You may feel a little bit hard to get start running in the rain. But you may really enjoy it after running and warming up. We can see this way as a fantastic Opportunity in order to build our Mental Strength. As we slosh completely through all the puddles with the rain hitting gently our face, our mental toughness is built. Many runners realized their own capacity to handle challenges after doing this exercise. So, do not hesitate and try it out!

10. Dry out the Shoes

After coming back from the wet run, the running shoes should be taken off and stuffed with crumpled newspaper balls. By this simple way, your shoes can keep their original shape. Furthermore, the paper helps to draw and remove moisture away from your shoes. Putting the wet shoes in front of the heater or the dryer is not a good idea as they warp or shrink their shape. The bad result is that your shoes will not fit you properly.

The above ten tips for running in the rain are done and got plenty compliments of runners. We do hope they also be helpful for you. Just one last note is to control your speed during a race on a rainy day. In fact, the slick road is truly hard in our connective tissue and muscles, especially our hamstrings and Achilles.

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